Special Sessions of Parliament

About Special Sessions of Parliament

• A Special Session of Parliament is convened outside the three conventional annual sessions (Budget, Monsoon and Winter).
• It is held to address urgent legislative matters or commemorate important national milestones.
• However, the Constitution does not use the term ‘Special Session’.
• Constitutional Framework and Rules
  • Article 85: It empowers the President to summon Parliament and ensures that not more than six months elapse between two sessions.
  • Constitutional Requirement: The Constitution requires Parliament to meet at least twice a year, but it does not prescribe a fixed parliamentary calendar.
  • Origin: The 6 months gap was introduced by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, reducing the earlier limit of 12 months under the Government of India Act, 1935.
  • Article 352: It provides for a special sitting of the Lok Sabha to consider a resolution disapproving a Proclamation of Emergency.
  • 44th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1978: It introduced this provision to provide safeguards against the misuse of emergency powers.
• Procedural Details
  • Decision-making: The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, comprising 10 ministers, decides when to convene a parliamentary session.
  • Summoning: The President formally summons Members of Parliament (MPs) to attend a session based on the government’s decision.
  • Reconvening the Lok Sabha: Under Rule 15 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha, the Speaker can reconvene the House at short notice if it has been adjourned sine die but not prorogued.
  • Special Sitting under Article 352: If a Proclamation of Emergency is issued when Parliament is not in session, one-tenth of Lok Sabha MPs can request the President to convene a special sitting to consider disapproving the Proclamation.
  • Conduct of Proceedings: The Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha Chairman preside over their respective Houses.
    • They can restrict the proceedings, and procedural facilities such as Question Hour may not be available during a special session.
• Notice Period
  • Regular Session: The convention is to give around 15 days’ notice before summoning Parliament.
  • Special Session: It can be convened at shorter notice, depending on the circumstances.
  • Specific Exception: If a session has been adjourned sine die but not prorogued, Parliament can be reconvened without the mandatory 14-day notice.
• Recent Development
  • Longest Adjournment: As of November 12, 2026, the Monsoon Session had remained unprorogued for 91 days after being adjourned sine die on August 13.
    • This is the longest such gap in parliamentary history.
  • Proposed Special Session: The Centre is considering convening a special session of Parliament before the regularly scheduled Winter Session.
  • Political Purpose: The proposed special session aims to advance delimitation and women’s reservation, with 2029 Lok Sabha elections as the target for implementing women’s quota.